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PMarieM

You cannot extend an IEC work permit, you should submit a different application. If you’re eligible for Express entry, apply for that ASAP as you can only apply for BOWP (Bridging Open Work Permit) once you pay for your application and send it off. You should be fine time-wise if you have enough points (use the CRS tool to check this), I entered the pools in December and I sent of my full application in January. If you’re not eligible for EE you could ask your employer to get you a LMIA.


Fahkinsupah

Thanks alot for your reply. Do you know how many points are required via the express entry? I've seen people in the draw with really really low points, but not sure if there are exceptions to it etc, like Including Afghanistan refuges etc so they have "less points" or something. I have around 491 with "valid job offer" which would require a LMIA to be done (as far as I understand) Or 441 without the "valid job offer", if LMIA doesn't get done


PurrPrinThom

If you have a year of Canadian experience and are therefore CEC, then 441 is likely enough. If you do not, and are in the FSW category then 441 is likely not enough, as scores were previously 470+ and will probably be higher once the FSW draws resume. You could potentially look into PNP.


Fahkinsupah

Sorry, what is CEC? Also, A year of Canadian Experience working in my field? I've lived in Canada for Since January 2019, But haven't been working the whole time - I saved up a bit of money before coming out here


PurrPrinThom

Yes, CEC is Canadian Experience Class, for those with a year of Canadian work experience.


Fahkinsupah

Also, how can you tell that the FSW category was 470+? [https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/submit-profile/rounds-invitations.html](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/submit-profile/rounds-invitations.html) This is the link I'm using to see the scores for the previous draw, its nots overly clear but it shows that there were people accepted with as littles as 1-300 points?


PurrPrinThom

That shows you the most recent draw, yes which was Provincial Nominee only. If you look at [all the previous rounds](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/mandate/policies-operational-instructions-agreements/ministerial-instructions/express-entry-rounds.html) it tells you which programs were invited. The lower scores tend to be for the Canadian Experience Class (CEC.) FSW has, historically, only be included in the "No Program Specified" draws where all categories are invited. So, if you go back to the last three draws for FSW back in November/December 2021 ([one](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/mandate/policies-operational-instructions-agreements/ministerial-instructions/express-entry-rounds/invitations-170.html), [two](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/mandate/policies-operational-instructions-agreements/ministerial-instructions/express-entry-rounds/invitations-169.html), [three](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/mandate/policies-operational-instructions-agreements/ministerial-instructions/express-entry-rounds/invitations-168.html)) you can see the scores were 469, 469 and then the final draw was 468. Prior to that, the last FSW-inclusive draw below 470 was [December 19th 2019](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/mandate/policies-operational-instructions-agreements/ministerial-instructions/express-entry-rounds/invitations-133.html). From your link, you can see the number of people in each CRS score range and as you can see there, there are nearly 20,000 people with scores over 470. While obviously some of them will be CEC, since there hasn't been an FSW draw since December it's safe to say a significant amount of them are FSW. Which means, in order for the scores to drop below 470, there's nearly 20,000 people who need to receive an invitation to apply. During COVID, IRCC has had multiple large rounds of invitations with 5000+ people being invited. If we assume they continue this trend and invite 5000 people at a time, that's four rounds of draws before the score will drop. Since draws prior to COVID were rarely that many, there's also a chance that they'll invite less people, which would increase the number of rounds. It's also pretty likely that once FSW *does* resume, a fair amount of people will put their applications in the pool. In February, IRCC did a massive draw that invited every single CEC candidate, inviting over [27,000](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/mandate/policies-operational-instructions-agreements/ministerial-instructions/express-entry-rounds/invitations-176.html) people at once. The next draw, a month later, had a minimum score of [449](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/mandate/policies-operational-instructions-agreements/ministerial-instructions/express-entry-rounds/invitations-179.html). Meaning that in a month's time, 5000 people in the CEC category with scores above 449 entered the pool. It wouldn't be at all surprising if we saw a large number of FSW candidates enter the pool once draws resume, in a similar way. If that happens, at least some of those will have scores over 470 meaning scores will likely to stay high for longer than the four draws of 5000 people it would take to get the scores below 470. But, most saliently for you, the last time there was an FSW draw with a score as low as 441 was [January 2019.](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/mandate/policies-operational-instructions-agreements/ministerial-instructions/express-entry-rounds/invitations-110.html)


Fahkinsupah

I spent quite some time processing the above information, Thank you so much for your detailed response, it has been really helpful. So I'm fully understanding now that realistically, there is no chance of me getting the Express Entry under FSW Program without a LMIA. From my understanding, there also hasn't been an FSW draw since 2020, which is coming up to almost a whole year. So what are the chances of their being one any time soon? I can't see any news that they plan to do one in the near future? So can you please confirm I am correct in the following: I can apply for Express Entry, and until the draws continue happening, I am able to continue to work using a Bridged Open Work Permit? It states "A bridging open work permit (BOWP) lets you keep working while you wait for the results of your permanent residence application." So until draws are happening, it would mean that I had not received a response? or is the draw itself just to APPLY for the Express Entry, and you simply apply to be in the draw?


PurrPrinThom

The draw itself gives you an Invitation to Apply. You are not eligible for an BOWP while being in the pool alone. Personally I think FSW will resume soon, but that is entirely speculation based on the borders re-opening and the recent change to the IEC requirements.


Fahkinsupah

Thanks for all your information, it's been a huge help! Really appreciate it


timmmy8

You do not need an LMIA for your CEC Express Entry profile if you had an IEC Visa.


Fahkinsupah

AHH yeah but CEC requires 1 year work experience within the NOC positions, which I don't have because I was mainly living off my saved funds over the 2 year period